- Norway (Epcot)
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Norway pavilion Epcot Land World Showcase Attraction type Themed Pavilion Theme Norwegian Village Soft opening date May 6, 1988 Opening date June 1988 Site area 58000 sq ft The Norway Pavilion is part of the World Showcase within Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Contents
Layout
The 58,000-square-foot (5,400 m2) Norway pavilion is designed to look like a Norwegian village. The village includes a detailed Stave church, and the exterior of its main table-service restaurant, Restaurant Akershus, resembles its namesake in Oslo. The exhibit showcases 4 styles of Norwegian architecture: Setesdal-style, Bergen-style, Oslo-style and Ålesund-style.
Much of the pavilion is taken up by interconnected shops. These shops are decorated with large wooden trolls and sell assorted Norwegian goods, including clothing, candy, and statuettes of Norse gods and trolls. The courtyard of the pavilion contains the entrance to Maelstrom, a boat ride into Norway's past and present. Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is a bakery, featuring assorted Norwegian pastries, such as cream horns and open-faced salmon sandwiches. The courtyard contains the entrance to Restaurant Akershus, featuring a hot and cold buffet and "Princess Storybook Dining."
One former exhibit was a full-scale Viking ship, inspired by the famous Oseberg ship. Formerly a children's play area, the structure was removed in December 2008.
History
The Norway pavilion is the most recent nation to be added to World Showcase. It opened on May 6, 1988, however it was not given its official opening until a month later. In June 1988 the grand opening was dedicated by Crown Prince Harald in a ceremony that was broadcast live to Norway. The original idea was to create a Nordic Pavilion that would combine elements from various countries into one exhibit. Three countries were consulted, but it finally ended up with investors from Norway raising the US$30 million required to create an exclusive national pavilion. Disney contributed the other one-third of the construction cost. In 1992, the investors sold their stake to Disney. Since nearly as many people visit Epcot as live in Norway, the government felt it still was a good promotional tool for their tourism industry. The federal government continued to contribute US$200,000 annually for five years to help fund the exhibit. Renewed in 1997 for a further 5 years, the government stopped payments in 2002, against the recommendations from their American embassy.[1]
Attractions and services
Attractions
- Maelstrom
- Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure
Dining
- Restaurant Akershus
- Kringla Bakeri og Kafe
Shopping
- The Puffin's Roost
Entertainment
- Stave Church (houses an exhibit on Vikings)
- Spelmanns Gledje (no longer playing)
- Princess Meet & Greet inside Akershus.
Facts and figures
- The pavilion is staffed by 150 young Norwegian men and women[citation needed], who wear a copy of the traditional national costume the bunad. Cast members sign a contract for 12, 10, or 6 months.[citation needed]
- Under the IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, they highlight the landmark of every country, the Norwegian Stave church is Norway's landmark, but since Norway was not originally a part of World Showcase, it is not illuminated.
See also
References
External links
- Walt Disney World Resort - Norway Pavilion
- Walt Disney World Resort - Maelstrom
- Walt Disney World Resort - Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Epcot attractions Future World Spaceship Earth · Universe of Energy · Mission: SPACE · Test Track · Innoventions (Club Cool) · Epcot Character Spot · The Seas with Nemo & Friends (Turtle Talk with Crush) · The Land (Living with the Land, Soarin', Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable) · Imagination! (Journey Into Imagination With Figment, Captain EO, ImageWorks) · Fountain of NationsWorld Showcase Mexico (Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros) · Norway (Maelstrom) · China (Reflections of China) · Germany · Italy · The American Adventure · Japan · Morocco · France (Impressions de France) · United Kingdom · Canada (O Canada!) · IllumiNations: Reflections of EarthClosed CommuniCore · Horizons · Wonders of Life (Body Wars, Cranium Command, The Making of Me) · World of Motion · The Land (Kitchen Kabaret, Food Rocks) · Millennium Village · IllumiNations28°22′14″N 81°32′47″W / 28.37056°N 81.54639°WCoordinates: 28°22′14″N 81°32′47″W / 28.37056°N 81.54639°W
Categories:- Disney attractions
- Epcot
- 1988 introductions
- Norwegian culture
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